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ABSTRACT
In this paper, a novel two-dimensional scissor structure that transforms between concave and convex
configurations is presented. The structure is designed by a method of assembling kite or anti-kite loops
in the flat configuration. Angulated units are generated from the assembled loops. Finally, a new angu-
lated scissor unit is introduced in order to design the novel scissor structure.
Keywords: angulated units, anti-kite loops, kite loops, scissor structure.
1 INTRODUCTION
Deployable scissor structures transform from a compact stowed configuration to an expanded
functional configuration, which provide them to be used in portable or temporary applica-
tions. Since they are adaptable structures, they can be integrated either to a site as a
deployable bridge to respond changing transportation requirements or to a building as a
deployable roof for changing weather conditions.
Scissor mechanisms are most preferred units for deployable systems and there are various
studies about deployable structures constructed with them. First, architectural scissor struc-
ture in the literature was designed by Spanish architect Emilio Perez Pinero [1] in 1961. This
structure was further developed by Escrig and Valcarcel as in the form of new spherical grid
structures that are composed of two-way and three-way scissors with several connection
details [25]. In addition to these developments, Hoberman [6] proposed a novel concept
composed of angulated elements that led to design radially deploying closed loop structures.
In 1997, You and Pellegrino [7] discovered generalised angulated elements to be used as a
building block. They also discovered multi-angulated rod that reduced the number of compo-
nents of the structure and the complexity of its joints.
All 2D or 3D deployable scissor structures are closed loops mechanisms. There are three types
of scissor units noted in the literature: translational, polar and angulated (Fig. 1). These units,
connected to build deployable structures, form similar rhombus, parallelogram or kite loops. So,
another type of classification due to the loops can be obtained when the scissor units are assem-
bled. In an MIT lecture note, Hoberman [8] introduces a method for the geometric construction
of expanding polygons with angulated elements by assembling equal or unequal rhombuses.
In this paper, a new deployable scissor structure is presented. It is designed by assembling kite
and anti-kite loops. The new two structures have two different stowed configurations by bending
upward and downward. The layout of the paper is as follows. Section 2 reviews the basic scissor
units with respect to their loop types. Section 3 introduces an alternative design approach that
deals with the assemblies of identical kite and anti-kite loops to form a novel deployable planar
structure. Two different cases of this approach are demonstrated in Solidworks.
The second type of generalized angulated unit (Type II) is the Similar Angulated Element
formed by angulated rods with proportional semi-lengths and having equal kink angles:
|AE|/|DE| = |CE|/|BE|, = . In order to be deployable, each closed loop must be a parallel-
ogram (Fig. 3) [7].
Aforementioned deployable scissor mechanisms are composed of one of the three types of
loops that are parallelogram, rhombus or kite loops. In this study, it is aimed to propose a
novel deployable structure with angulated scissor units forming kite or anti-kite loops which
has ability to transform between concave and convex configurations.
Figure 2: Assembly of Equilateral Angulated Elements forming rhombus loops with constant
segment angles 1, 2, 3.
M. Yar, et al., Int. J. Comp. Meth. and Exp. Meas., Vol. 5, No. 4 (2017) 445
s egment angles vary during the deployment. The radius decreases, i.e. the curvature increases
while the structure bends up. Meanwhile, the kite loops transform into anti-kite loops.
On the other hand, by decreasing the angle of only one kite loop, the structure bends
downward (Fig. 6). Unit lines intersect and define a center, which translates on y-axis
because segment angles vary during the deployment. The radius decreases, i.e. the curvature
increases while bending down.
Same procedure can also be applied to anti-kite loops as it is seen in Fig. 7. Anti-kite loops
are assembled in flat configuration where the unit lines are parallel. After the assembly,
a ngulated scissor unit is drawn on the anti-kites, which has equal semi-lengths and equal kink
angles.
In Figs 8 and 9, the transformation capability of a single DOF deployable structure obtained
by assembling the anti-kite loops is shown. In flat configuration, the unit lines are parallel and
Figure 10: A novel scissor unit obtained by assembling kite and anti-kite loops.
the curvature is equal to zero. Conversely, this time by decreasing the angle of only one kite
loop, the structure bends upward. Unit lines intersect and define a center which translates on
+y axis, because the segment angles vary during deployment. The radius decreases, i.e. the
curvature increases while bending up.
On the other hand, by increasing the angle of only one anti-kite loop, the structure bends
downward (Fig. 8). Unit lines intersect and define a center, which translates on -y-axis,
because the segment angles vary during deployment. The radius decreases, i.e. the curvature
increases while bending down. Meanwhile, the anti-kite loops transform into kite loops.
M. Yar, et al., Int. J. Comp. Meth. and Exp. Meas., Vol. 5, No. 4 (2017) 449
After the geometric construction of two novel deployable structures, a new scissor unit is
developed which is obtained by assembling identical kite loops. As seen in Fig. 10a and b, the
new scissor unit satisfies the following conditions:
|AC|<|DC|, |CG|>|CE|, =
Semi-bars on both sides of a unit line are one short and one long semi-bars. There is mirror
symmetry about the unit line.
4 CONCLUSION
In this paper, a novel two-dimensional single DOF scissor structure has been introduced.
Anew type of angulated scissor unit has been developed and a method of assembling kite or
anti-kite loops has been used in order to design the scissor structure. The new unit has been
generated from the assembled loops. The proposed structure bends upward and downward
simultaneously, i.e. it transforms between concave to convex configurations.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This project has received funding from the European Unions Horizon 2020 research and
innovation programme under the Marie Skodowska-Curie grant agreement No 689983.
REFERENCES
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